http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2011/10/30/nyregion/where-the-one-percent-fit-in-the-hierarchy-of-income.html?ref=incomeinequality
To those who have no interest in clicking through link, it breaks down the average annual income (and ranges of income) earned within the break down of American families. While presented with way more flourish and extra information, the gist is as follows:
Top 0.01%: average annual income of $31 million; range from $11 million to some presumably staggering amount
99.90 - 99.99%: average income of $3.9 million; range from $2 million to $11 million
99.0 - 99.9 %: average income of $717,000; range from $386,000 to $2 million
90 - 99%: average income of $167,000; range from $108,000 to $386,000
0 - 90%; average income of $36,000; range from $0 to $108,000
An interesting spread of wealth that begs a number of questions. Like, how the hell do I claw my way into the top 0.01%? Forget the one-percenters that got so much attention from the press and the protesters. The one-hundredth-of-one-percenters looks like where the action is. And wasn't that the whole point of the occupy movement? To give us a target to aim for?
I'm certainly glad that one enterprising individual has found his path to the one-hundredth-of-one-percenters club, and that appears to be selling small jars of trash for incredible sums of money:
How much would you pay for a jar of grocery bag clips? How about $125? Don't believe me? See http://store.partnersandspade.com/2011/10/13/bag-clip-collection/. The guy just needs to sell 96,000 of these this year to make it the coveted top step of the money mega-mid.
I'm taking a different path. Really, ask yourself, where is the real money earned in this world? The answer is obvious: romance novels self-published under an assumed name. Just in time for the gift giving Christmas season, I'm pleased to announce the pending completion of my first bodice ripper: May it Please the Court. It is the story of Lascivious Jones, a judge in Omaha Nebraska, and her complicated trysts will Ripples McGee and Thadeous DuPont, respectively the local prosecutor and defense attorney handling a high-profile murder case in Judge Jones' court room. Here is an excerpt:
Ripples took a moment for himself, walked back to the People's table, and sipped slowly from the plastic cup of water supplied by the good tax payers of Omaha. He scanned the packed court room, caught Lola's eye, and winked. He then undid another button in his bespoke tailored shirt, exposing a sculpted pectoral and the margins of a Virgin Mary tattooed across his abdomen. Having composed himself and now nearly topless, Ripples turned to begin the dance.
"Ms. Waters, do you know who killed Little Tim?" he asked the witness, tossing his golden hair into the waning rays of daylight filtering through the court house windows.
"Sure. Jimmy Westing did it."
"And what makes you say that, Ms. Waters?"
"Why my neighbor saw him do it. He told me so."
Thadeous launched from his seat, crying "Objection your honor! That is rank hearsay! Ms. Water's has no personal knowledge about this case at all. Mr. McGee is just wasting our time."
Judge Jones paused for a moment. ''Would counsel approach the bench." Both men ambled slowly to the front of the room and leaned in hear what the Judge had to say. "Gentlemen, this appears to be a complicated objection, and I'm going to request briefing on the question. I want you both to provide your arguments and support, in my chambers, at 10:00 tonight. I want the briefs delivered in person. Mr. McGee, I want you to bring some wine. Mr. DuPont, bring massage oils. I think the three of us will consider the arguments for and against late into the night..."
The way I see it, a story like that pretty well sells itself. If you need a last minute Christmas gift, I can not recommend my book highly enough. I considered pricing it at $125, figuring I would only need to sell 96,000 copies to finally make the top 0.01% of earners, but after finding out you could sell bag clips for $125 decided I was selling myself short. Frankly, I'm also not so sure I can sell 96,000 copies before Christmas. So instead I have priced the book at $11,000,001. That way I only need to sell one copy to reach the upper echelons (albeit the very bottom of the upper echelons). If you want to buy a copy, let me know. Call day or night.
And in Cancer news, I had a CT scan earlier this month and was given the all clear by the man with the stethoscope. No changes, lymph nodes acting like lymph nodes. Next scan will be in a year or year and a half. So there is that.
Merry Christmas.
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